Motherboard Recycling
Motherboard Recycling is an Advanced Deconstruction process where we take motherboards from the main recycling operation and turn them into Clean Circuitboards.
Safety
The Safety Introduction from the basic deconstruction page applies here. In particular, wear safety glasses: no heatsinks are permitted in your eye.
What to remove?
Your objective is to remove as much as possible from the motherboard: batteries, processors, memory modules, daughtercards, heatsinks, fans, large transformers, faceplates, and anything else you can get off within a few minutes.
Hardware
Any screws, plastic clips, faceplates or other hardware must be removed from the motherboard.
Batteries
Not all batteries look like batteries. Here are a few examples of batteries or devices which contain batteries. Remove anything that looks remotely like one of these.
Button
This is the most common battery you'll find on a motherboard. Wedge a screwdriver in there and pop it out for later sorting.
Real Time Clock (RTC)
This one can be hard to spot, and many motherboards don't have one of these. This device, if present, maintains the system time. It has a built in battery, so pry it off and put it with the other batteries for later sorting.
Here's a clearer picture of an RTC.
Other
There are other batteries you'll encounter too. Here are two examples. First, some older motherboards have Ni-Cd batteries soldered on. Given the age of devices which included these batteries, they've probably leaked some toxic gunk. Wear gloves. And second, many Mac motherboards include a lithium cell in a case that's soldered onto the board.
Processor/Heatsink/Fan combos
Pull the processor. This can be tricky, depending on whether you're dealing with a slot-mounted CPU or a socket cpu. Both kinds have a lever or a catch (or two) you have to find and release before they'll come off, and before you get to that point, you have to get the fan and/or heatsink off the CPU. Just remember, this is recycling. If you gouge the motherboard, damage a CPU or break a bracket, no one cares. Just don't hurt yourself. All mounting CPU hardware must be removed.
 If you see a heatsink this weird, get Nori to make something cool out of it. |
Memory
Most motherboards will arrive at your station without memory modules. If you see any, pull and set aside.
Cards/Other
You'll see all kinds of stuff, but most motherboards won't have cards or other devices attached by the time they reach you. If you happen accross a weird, unidentifiable hunk of something attached to a motherboard, get it off and ask about it. Then update this page with what you learn.
Other Heatsinks
It's not just the processor that has a heatsink. Almost every PC motherboard's Northbridge chip has a heatsink glued to it. Pry that sucker off.
You may find other heatsinks that look like they have fingers. These heatsinks are made of sheet aluminum. Remove them as well.
What do I do with all this stuff?
After a few hours, you'll have a pile of clean(er) motherboards in the gaylord in front of you, and a bunch of stuff. Here's what to do with all the stuff.
(This section is incomplete)
- CPU's - Must not have anything attached. No plastic, heatsink, etc.
- Slot CPUs go in a specific bucket.
- Socket CPUs go in a specific bucket. Extract from plastic housing when necessary
- Memory - in a separate bucket.
- Heatsink/Fan/CPU Combos
- Squarish ones from ZIF Processors (smaller square CPUs) have their own container.
- Slot Processors (larger rectangular CPUs) have their own container.
See also [Heatsink/Fan/CPU Combo Recycling - to be written]
- (more to be added later)